Clothesline mechanism



CLOTHESLINE MECHANI SM Filed June 4, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Y i Q Snow/hmz 'if C L I y ""2 I; 23 225 Patented Aug. 3, 1937 Y PATENT IOFF-ICE Y CLOTHESLINE MECHANISM George R. Davies, East Hartford, Conn.

Application June 4, 1935, Serial No. 24,791

19 Claims.

This invention relates to clothes line mechanism and more particularly to improvements in such mechanism wherein the entire length of the line may beutilized for supporting clothes.

'- Previous to this invention most endless or socalled pulley lines permitted the use of approxiymately only one-half the length of the line. In instances where the use of the entire length of the line was contemplated, various disadvantages were encountered, among which was the objectionable inconvenience of the attaching means or clothes pins interfering with the pulleys, the clothes becoming tangled with those on the adjacent portion of the line and the lack, in such devices, of efcient line tightening and guiding means, of efficient clothes hanging devices and,

when desired, of a selectively operative clothes releasing means.

"The principal object of this invention is to provide an improved clothes line mechanism whereby the above objectionable features will be overcome.

' Another object is to provide a clothes line mechanism whereby the entire length of line may be A utilized for supporting clothes in an efficient manner.

Another object is to provide in such mechanism eiiciently operative means to guide the line about the pulleys, which means will permit the line to be 'disposed about the area over which it is hung in any convenient arrangement.

Still another object is to provide, as part of such mechanism, a simple, eflicient and inexpen.

sive line tightening means.

A further object is to provide, as part of such mechanism, means to selectively release clothes from the line or to release them consecutively and to do this substantially automatically.

' A still further object is the provision of a clothes line mechanism which is comparatively simple and sturdy in structure, eiiicient in operation and inexpensive to make and to maintain in operation.

. To these and other ends the invention consists in the novel features, parts and combinations thereof hereinafter illustrated, described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings:

50 Fig. 1 is a general plan View of a clothes line mechanism embodying the features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of one of the pulleys with associated parts of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1;

(Cl. (iS-3) Fig. 3 is a side view of the pulley and associated parts shown in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a side view of another pulley;

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of parts shown in Fig. 2; Y

Fig. 6 is a section online 6-'-6 of Fig. 2, and showing the operation of certain parts;

Fig. 7 isasection similar to Fig. 6, but showing another `operation of certain parts; and

f Fig. 8 is a detail of a part.

The clothes line mechanism illustrated in the drawings and embodying the features of this invention herein generally comprises a plurality of line receiving and guiding pulleys I0, and I2 about which a clothes line I3 runs. The pulleys II and I2 Vare herein shown secured to widely spaced apart supports I4 and I5 respectively, by means of swingable hooked bars I6 that engage the pulleys in an eye formed on a pulley holder or casing I8, to which the pulley is rotatably supported on studs I9. Each pulley holder I8 consists of a body portion 2| that extends over one end face of the pulley and a flange portion 22 that depends from portion 2| and about a portion of theperiphery of the pulley to prevent the line running yout of the groove 23 formed therein and for a purpose to be hereinafter disclosed. Preferably only substantially one quarter of the periphery .of the pulley is covered by the flange 22 and the eye I1 is formed therein substantially midway between its ends.

The pulley ID is pivotally supported to a holder or casing 24 by a pin 25, the holder 24 having a body portion 26 extending over one of the end faces of the pulley and a flange 21 depending from the body portion andabout a portion of the periphery of the pulley to cover the groove 28 formed therein. The pulley Ill is also provided with a circumferentially disposed flange 29 which in this instance is an extension of one of the edges of pulley I0, depending therefrom for ar purpose to be hereinafter disclosed. A hollow boss 30 is formed on the upperV surface of the body portion 26, of pulley holder 24, in which a toothed bar 3| is disposed and through the opening 32, thereof, the bar may slide. The bar 3| is provided with a closed eye end 33 enclosing the eye Vportion 34 formed on a plate 35,'adapted to be secured to a supporting member.

A catch finger 36 is pivotally secured to the boss 30 between ears 31 formed at one end thereof. The finger 3B is provided with a hooked end`38 adapted for catching in the teeth of bar 3| to releasably prevent relative movement between the bar and the pulley I0 in one direction. The

plate 43. The cable 4| is secured to an eye'44,Y

formed on holder 24 and disposed substantially midway between the ends of flange -21, by means of a connector 45.' Bymeans of the toothed bar 3|, finger 36 and cable v4| the line I3 may be tightened in an expeditious and convenient manner to maintain the same taut and insure its' proper disposition in, and operation with, the pulleys I9, Hand I2.

Clothes supporting members herein comprising, a well known type of spring operated clothes clamping or gripping members 5|, in combination with a line engaging and clothes clamping member or hanger 52, are provided. The body portion 53 of hanger 52 may be permanently secured toone of the arms 54 and 55 of the member 5|, in this instance-army 54, by 'rivets 56. Side flanges 51 are provided on the hanger 52 extend-V ing from the body portion 53 thereof alongside of the arms 54 and 55 of member 5| to insure against misalignmenty thereof and to support the same when they are pressed together, to open the clothes gripping jaws 58 thereof against the tension of operating spring 59. The upper end of body portion 53 is turned over away from the body portion to form a loop 6| which extends outwardly away therefrom and through which the line I3 is threaded and is free to slide. The disposition of the loop 6| extending outwardly away from body portion 53 at one side and the side flanges 51'being extended from the other, per.- mits the free movement of these hangers 52 about the pulleys when on the line 3 and supporting clothes therefrom the loop 6| fitting theV grooves` in the pulleys and the body portions readilypassing through the space between the periphery of the pulleys and the flanges of the casings thereof f as shown in Figures 6 and '7.

The clothes line mechanism'of this invention also includes clothes clamping member opening means, herein illustrated as an arcuately shaped member 1| having a pair` of ears 12 and 13 projecting upwardly therefrom and embracing the shank portion 14 of the eye 44, formed on casing Y 24 of pulleyv I0, and being pivoted theret'by a pivot pin 15. The member 1| extends. aboutthe peripheral flange 29 of pulley I0 and has its arcuate form disposed thereabout slightly eccentric thereto in a horizontal plane as clearly shown in Fig. 5. The member 1|, in this instance, is disposed below the bottom edge of flange 21 of casing 24 so as not to be interfered with thereby in its pivotal movements about pin 15.

The pivot pin 15 is disposed in respect to ears 12 and 13 so as to support member 1| eccentrically whereby it will normally hang substantially vertically with its walls vertically parallel to the 65 flange 29.

are adapted to engage flange 21 of casing 24 toY The inner edges f theA ears 12 and 13 prevent swinging of member 1| beyond their vertical position away from flange 29, but to allow it to readily swingtowardV flange 29.

70 of member 1|, due to the eccentric disposition of the latter in respect to flange 29, .is spaced therefrom an amount to permit it to enter betweenv arms 54 and 55 of the clothes clamping member 5| as shown in Fig.v 2 whenthe latter is movedl 75 towardthe same by movement ofline |3in the The end 11 direction of arrow 8| in Fig. 1. Continued movement ofr'line I3 in this direction slides arm 55 along the outer surface of member 1|, swinging the latter about its pivot 15 as shown in Fig. '7 and permitting the passage of the clothes clamping members 5| and the clothes held thereby past pulley I9. During this operation, the body portion 53 of hanger 52, due to its position between flanges 21 and 29 retains the members 5| against swinging, maintaining them substantially vertically disposedt The Vend 18`of 'member 1| due also to the eccentric mounting of the latter' in respect to flange 29 lsfspaced horizontally therefrom an amount to insure vthe entering of arm 55 between the member 1| and flange 29, as shown in Fig. 2 when the linevv |3 is moved about pulley I0 in the direction of arrow 82` in Fig. 1. In as much as member 1| is prevented from swinging away from flange 29' by the engagement of inner edges of ears 12 and 13`with the flange 21, the arm 55 of clothes clamping members 5| is pressed toward arm 54 as shown vin Fig. 6 to open jaws 58 thereof, thereby automatically releasing any clothes held thereby. The cooperation of flange 29 whereby the'body portion 53 of hanger 52 is prevented from swinging, insures positive opening of jaws 58`during this operation. While flange V29 is herein vshown extending from pulley Il), arrangement of the parts is possible whereby the periphery of pulley l0 below the line groove could be used for this purpose. f

By the lprovision of the above describedcombination of features, a complete clothes line mechanism is provided which is particularly eilicient in use, comparatively simple in structure and which possesses all of the advantages and objects contemplated. 'I'he several features of the complete clothes line mechanism, above described, further cooperateto permit the selective,- removal of any supported article from the line'V without disturbing the others, by the movement of the line in one direction and to automatically release all of the clothes one at a time when the line is moved in the other direction.

The cooperation of the flanges 22 and 21, the peripheries of the vpulleys and the body portion 53 of hangers 52, insures that the clothes clamping members 5| and the clothes supported there-v by, will hang 'vertically and not twist about the line while it runs over the respective pulleys. Other features assisting in the obtainment of advantageous results, are the side flanges 51 on hanger 52 for supporting the arms of clothes clamp 5|, the line tightening means, the provision 'of supporting the hangers 52 loose uponthe line insuring the verticall hanging of the clothes and the disposition of the entire loop portion 6|` of thesehangers to ride in the pulley groove, whereby the body portion 53 thereof is free to travel by the pulley periphery disposed substantially in a vertical plane. Applicants clothes line mechanism as above Vdescribed is especially useful in permitting a plurality of pulleys Vto be used in order to dispose the several lengths about and around various 'upstandingl members in the users yard, such as trees, poles etc.

While there has been illustrated and described herein, a preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understoodv thatr the same is not to be limited -thereto in allof its details, as many variations and modifications are possible that may` lie within the spirit of the invention and scopeof the appended claims.

What I claim is:-

formed on the upper surface thereof, a toothed; bar having one end secured to a support on which.I

said boss is slidably mounted, av catch` swingably mounted on said boss and ladapted to selectively.V

catch in each notch of said-bar, and aAcablehaving one end secured to said holder and adapted at:

its other end to be manually actuated to quicklyr move said pulley relatively to said banto cause' the pulley to slide along said Hbar and said catch to engage the desired notch insaidbar` l 2. In a clothes line mechanism,rthecombina tion of an endless clothes line, a substanrtially horizontally disposedl pulley, aV holder for, said pulley and to which the latter is pivotally. secured, a portion of said holder extending .overl oneend face of said pulleyand having al-hollow boss eX- tending radially with respect `to said pulley and formed on the upper surface thereof, -a toothed bar having one end secured to a supporty ,on which said boss is slidably mounted, a catch swingably mounted on saidy boss. and adapted to selectively catch in each notch of said bar, and a cable secured to saidpulley holder, reeved about a pulley secured to a support and depending substantially vertically therefrom for engagement and manipulation by adownward pull thereon to quickly move said pulley relatively to saidbar to cause the pulley to slide along Said bar and said catch to engage thefdesired notch in said bar..

3. In a clothes line mechanism, the combina,- tion of an endless clothes line,; a substantially horizontally disposed pulley,Y a holder f orA said pulley and to which the latterispivotally secured,

a portion of said holder extending over one end face of said pulley and having a hollow bossextending radially with respect' to said pulleyA and formed on the upper surface thereof, a flange depending downwardly from the said pulley,. a toothed bar having one end secured to a support on which said boss is slidably mounted, a catch swingably mounted on said boss and adapted to selectively catch in each notch of said bar, and a cable secured to said pulley holder substantially midway between the ends of said depending flange, said cable being reeved about a pulley secured to a support and depending substantially vertically therefrom for engagement and manipulation by a downward pull thereon to quickly move said pulley relatively to said bar to cause the pulley to slide along said bar and said catch to engage the desired notch in said bar.

4. In a clothes line mechanism, an endless line, pulleys for supporting said line, releasable means to hold clothes upon said line, and means to automatically engage said holding means and actuate it to release clothes from said clothes holding means when said line is moved longitudinally in one direction and to engage said clothes holding means to prevent the release of the clothes when said line is moved in the other direction.

5. In a clothes line mechanism, an endless line, pulleys to support said line, clothes gripping means on said line, said clothes gripping means being openable to release said clothes, and means associated with one of said pulleys to engage and actuate said clothes gripping means to release the clothes held thereby when the line is moved longitudinally in one direction and to prevent such release when the line is moved in the v other direction.

-6.,In combination, an endless line, 'va-.pulley about which said line is reeved, an article gripping member mounted on said line, and means cooperating with the peripheral edge of said pulley to actuate said article gripping means to release an article held thereby. Y, .,jr'l. In combination, an endless line, a pulley about which said line is reeved, an article gripping member mounted on said line, and means` cooperating with the peripheral edge of said pulley and adapted to engage it to actuate said article grippingmeans to release an article held thereby, when said lline is moved about said pulleyin lone,

direction, said means being -operable vto engage said article gripping means .to prevent release of articles from said member when said line is moved about said pulley in the other direction.

8. In combination, anendless line, a pulley about which said line is reeved, an article gripping member mounted on said line, an arcuate member disposed adjacent the periphery of saidpulley with the curvature thereof eccentric to theY curvature of the periphery of said pulleygand'V means on said article gripping member engageableby said arcuate member to release articlesA held thereby. ,Y

9. In combination, an endless line, a pulley about which said line is reeved, an article gripping member mounted on said line, an arcuate member disposed adjacent the periphery of said pulley with the curvature thereof eccentric tothe curvature of the periphery of said pulley,

and means on said article gripping member engageable by said arcuate member to selectivelyv release the article therefrom or toprevent such release, as said member is passed thereby on its movement with said line about said pulley.,

10. In combination, an endless line, a pulley about which said line is reeved, an article gripping member mounted on said line, an arcuate member disposed adjacent the periphery of said pulley with the curvature thereof eccentric to the curvature of the periphery of said pulley, said arcuate. member being swingable toward and away from the periphery of said pulleyfandcooperating therewith and with said articlegripping member when in one of its swung positions to cause release of articles held by said member.

11. In combination, an endless line, a pulley about which said line is reeved, a releasable article gripping member mounted on said line, an arcuate member disposed adjacent the periphery of said pulley with the curvature thereof eccentric to pulley with the curvature thereof eccentric to thecurvature of the periphery of said pulley, said arcuate member being swingably mounted relatively to the periphery of said pulley and normally disposed with its adjacent surface substantially vertically parallel thereto, and means associated with said article gripping member to actuate the same and being engageable by said arcuate member, when the same is in normal position, -to vactuate-'said article gripping member to release articles therefrom whensaid article gripping member is movedr about said pulley with said line.'

13. In combination, an endless line, a' pulleyl about which said line is reeved, an article gripping member mounted on said line, an larcuate member disposed adjacent the periphery of 'said pulley with the curvature thereof eccentric to the curvature of the periphery of said pulley, saidarcuate member being swingably mounted relatively to the periphery of said pulley and normally disposed with its adjacent surface lsubstantially vertically parallelV thereto, and means associated with said article gripping memberengageably by said arcuate member,v when the same is in normal position, to be actuated to release articles from said article gripping Vmember when said article gripping member is moved aboutfsaid pulley with said line in one direction and to engage. said arcuate member and swing it out Aof normal position and thereby prevent actuation toy release articles when said article gripping member is moved about said pulley with said line in the other direction.

14'. In a'clothes line'mech'anism, an endless line, a pulley about which said vline is reeved,y

an article gripping device having normally closed *jaws on said lline, and means to actuate said article gripping device to open said jaws when said line is moved in one direction about said pulleyto release articles therefrom, said means being inoperative when said line is moved about said pulley in the other direction.

15. In a clothes line mechanism, an endless line, a pulley about which said line is reeved, an article gripping device having normally closed jawson said line, and common means to actuate said device to open said jaws when said line is moved in one direction about said pulley and to prevent actuation thereof when said line is moved about said pulley in the other direction.

16. In a clothes line mechanism, in combination,-an endless line, a pulley about which said line is reeved, an article -gripping device on said line including, a pair of ngers hinged together intermediate their ends to present article gripping members and pressable members to open ausgeseopposed positionv to the groove therein, an article gripping device on said line including, a pair o f openable, normally closed fingers, a member secured to one of said fingers and adapted to extend between said pulley andl said flange to-prevent said device fromswinging while passing by lsaid pulley, means,adjacent another pulley, to actuate said fingers to release an article held thereby, said member, of said article gripping device, having a. portion extending over each side ofr said fingers to prevent sidewise relative movement thereof, while being actuated by said means.'

18. In a clothes line mechanism, in combination, an endless line, a pulley about which said line is reeved, a flange disposed circumferentially about said pulley, an article gripping device including, a pair of arms movable toward each other to release-an. article, and aV member having a'portion secured to and extending from one of said arms to connect withsaid line, and adapted to pass between said pulley and said flange when moved about said pulley with said line, and having another portion substantially U shaped in cross section straddling the sides of said fingers to restrain sidewise movement thereof.

19. In a clothes line mechanism, in combination, a clothes line, an article gripping devicev on said line including, a pair of members hinged together to provide article engaging jaws and arms'for actuating said jaws to release an article therefrom,and means to engage said arms when' they are passed thereby, by movement with said line in one direction, to cause actuation of said jaws Vto release an article and to engage said armswhen passed thereby in another direction to prevent actuation of saidjaws.

GEORGE R. DAVIES. 

